Best Ever Chewy Peanut Butter, Oatmeal and Chocolate Chip Cookies

Okay so I have to take back my post a few days ago, I posted a cookie recipe very similar to this one and although they tasted great, compared to this new recipe I found, they were a little drier than I usually like.  But, they still were good so i'm not about to delete the recipe :) But if you want more moist cookies stick to this recipe. I also really like how you can make the cookies really big and they still turn out amazing!

Here is the link to the original recipe http://www.averiecooks.com/2015/03/soft-and-chewy-peanut-butter-oatmeal-chocolate-chip-cookies.html I pretty much stayed right on track with this but I had to double the recipe to have a couple dozen.

Best Ever Chewy Peanut Butter, Oatmeal and Chocolate Chip Cookies

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted (1 stick)
• heaping 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 large egg + 1 yolk (discard extra white or save for another use)
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup old-fashioned whole rolled oats (she says not instant or quick cook but all i had was quick cook and they turned out fine)
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup peanut butter chips (optional, I didn't include these and they were still awesome also you can use white chocolate or butterscotch chips as a substitute as well)

DIRECTIONS:

1. To a large, microwave-safe bowl add the butter, peanut butter, and heat on high power to melt, about 1 minute. Stop to check and stir. Heat in 15-second increments until mixture can be stirred smooth.
2. Wait momentarily before adding the egg and yolk so you don't scramble them. Add the egg, sugars, vanilla, and whisk until combined. It's okay if mixture is slightly granular.
3. Add the oats and stir to combine.
4. Add the flour, baking soda, salt, and stir to combine; don't overmix. Dough is fairly thick.
5. Add the chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, and stir to incorporate.
6. Using a large cookie scoop, 1/4-cup measure, or your hands, form approximately 13 equal-sized mounds of dough, roll into balls, and flatten slightly. Tip - Strategically place a few chocolate chips on top of each mound of dough by taking chips from the underside and adding them on top.
7. Place mounds on a large plate or tray, cover with plasticwrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to 5 days. Do not bake with unchilled dough because cookies will bake thinner, flatter, and be more prone to spreading. Dough is a bit on the oily side before chilling and becomes less oily as it chills.
8. Preheat oven to 350F, line a baking sheet with a Silpat or spray with cooking spray. Place dough mounds on baking sheet, spaced at least 2 inches apart (I bake 8 cookies per sheet) and bake for about 11 to 12 minutes (for very soft cookies, longer for more well-done cookies), or until edges have set and tops are just set, even if slightly undercooked, pale, and glossy in the center; don't overbake. Cookies firm up as they cool. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for about 10 minutes before serving. I let them cool on the baking sheet and don't use a rack.
9. Cookies will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 6 months. Alternatively, unbaked cookie dough can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 4 months, so consider baking only as many cookies as desired and save the remaining dough to be baked in the future when desired.

Quick Apple Crisp

If you need a yummy dessert really quick this is  good one! Last night Joe and I wanted something tasty so I made this recipe up, kind of a quick apple crisp. However because I made it up I just kind of threw it together so I don't have exact measurements but its all just kinda how much you want. Here is the recipe if you want it...

Ingredients:
1 Apple
cinnamon
1tsp butter
caramel
2 cups granola
water

Directions:
Line a small baking dish with tin foil and spray with some non-stick spray. Slice up the apple into thin slices and spread them out in the pan. Add a few teaspoons of water. Cut up the butter into small pieces and put on the apples. Sprinkle with cinnamon and then sprinkle on the granola. Drizzle with caramel and place in the oven at 450 for about 10 minutes or so until apples are soft. Serves 2. Enjoy! :)

Peanut Butter, Oatmeal and Chocolate Chip Cookies

I made some yummy cookies tonight for some of our friends and neighbors that have helped us so much during our move and with our arrival of little Madelyn. These cookies are a really dry dough so you have to use your hands to shape them. They also don't really flatten out so I took a scoop of the dough and made a ball and then smashed it down to make them have a more cookie appearance. The only thing I did different was I used all white flour.

Peanut Butter Cookies IX
Original recipe makes 4 dozen

Ingredients 

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 3/4 cup peanut butter
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, white sugar and peanut butter until smooth. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, wheat flour, baking soda and salt; stir into the peanut butter mixture. Finally, mix in the oats and chocolate chips. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake for 8 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are golden. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks.

(Link to original recipe found: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Peanut-Butter-Cookies-IX/Detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=peanut%20butter%20oatmeal%20chocolate%20chip%20cookies&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Home%20Page&soid=sr_results_p1i3) 

Cinnamon Rolls! Mmmm!

I love cinnamon rolls, in college one of my roommates had a really good recipe and luckily I was able to get it from her! I love this recipe however I have added a few touches myself as well. You can also make pizza rolls with this dough which is fun too, see below...

Cinnamon Rolls
Yield: Makes about 24 servings

            ________________________________________________________________________

Ingredients:

1 ¼ cups milk

1 ¼ cups water

6 Tablespoons oil

6 Tablespoons sugar

1 Tablespoon salt

2 Tablespoons yeast

6 ½ cups flour


1/2 cup butter

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

Directions

Mix water and milk in microwave safe bowl and microwave for 2 ½ minutes. Mix, oil, sugar and salt in bowl and pour hot milk and water over it and mix for 5-10 seconds.  Add yeast and stir for 10-15
seconds. Let set for 10-15 minutes. Add flour, one cup at a time up to 6 cups. If dough is too sticky add the remaining ½ cup. The main thing here is not to add too much flour. Dough will be very soft, but that is how you want it. Let the dough raise until doubled- about 45-60 minutes.

Punch down, divide into two even halves. Lightly sprinkle surface with flour and roll out half of the dough into a rectangle until the dough is about ¼ inch thick all around. Melt 4T of the butter and set aside. Spread first half with 2T of the melted butter. Sprinkle with sugar-about an 1/8 cup; depending upon your taste. Then mix the remaining 4T of butter with about 3/4 cup of brown sugar, you want a gooey consistency here so add the brown sugar in slowly. Spread half of the brown sugar mixture onto the first half and reserve the rest for the other half. Generously sprinkle with cinnamon, to taste. Roll up dough into a “log” and slice with floss or pizza cutter. Repeat with the other half of the dough. Put on greased cookie sheets, I usually need two.

Let rise until doubled.  Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

After the cinnamon rolls have cooled, frost them with one of the following recipes...

Cream Cheese Frosting
Yield: enough for all the cinnamon rolls plus about 2 dozen cookies!

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks or 226 grams) unsalted butter, slightly softened (or 1 stick salted & 1 stick unsalted)
• 1 (8-ounce or 226 grams) package chilled cream cheese, such as Philadelphia®
• 2½ teaspoons (12.5 ml) pure vanilla extract, such as Nielsen-Massey®
• 4 to 4½ cups (480 to 540 grams) confectioners’ sugar, preferably 100% pure cane, such as C&H® or Domino®, spooned in cup, leveled off & sifted

Preparation

Using an electric stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, or handheld mixer and large bowl, beat butter on medium speed until creamy. Add cream cheese and vanilla; beat until fully incorporated. Gradually increase mixer speed to high and continue beating until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of bowl as necessary with rubber spatula.

Gradually add 4 cups confectioners’ sugar, beating on low speed (stir), until well combined. Add additional confectioners’ sugar until desired consistency for spreading and level of sweetness is reached. Beat on high speed until well combined and smooth while scraping down sides of bowl as necessary, about 1 to 2 minutes. Before frosting cake layers, rebeat buttercream to ensure smoothness.

Basic Frosting Recipe

¼ cup butter or margarine

1 pound powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Milk (about 2 Tablespoons)

Mix the butter (or margarine), sugar, vanilla. Add milk, a tablespoon at a time to get the frosting

consistency (it should not be runny). Spread over cooled rolls.



Pizza Rolls

The dough is the same, oven temp and the time same. The only difference is that you spread

spaghetti sauce evenly (not too much or they will be sloppy) cheese and pepperoni to taste.

Just make sure the whole dough is covered, roll into a log and slice. (slice with a knife, as floss

won’t cut the pepperoni).

Valentines Day Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are really yummy Chocolate Chip cookies and super cute for Valentines Day! Here is where I got the recipe from http://www.averiecooks.com/2014/01/soft-mm-chocolate-chip-cookies.html

Valentines Day Chocolate Chip Cookies
*Makes about 15 Large cookies

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened (1 1/2 sticks)
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup instant vanilla pudding mix (not sugar-free and not 'cook & serve'), OR use 2 teaspoons cornstarch in place of pudding mix
1 teaspoon baking soda
pinch salt, optional and to taste
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (Both these and the M&M's turned out to be a little bit more chocolate than I would prefer so just do this part to your liking)
3/4 cup milk chocolate M&M's mixed into the dough + about 1/2 cup for placing on top of dough mounds

DIRECTIONS:

1. To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or large mixing bowl and electric mixer) combine the butter, sugars, egg, vanilla, and beat on medium-high speed until creamed and well combined, about 4 minutes.
2. Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the flour, pudding mix (or cornstarch), baking soda, optional salt, and beat on low speed until just combined, about 1 minute.
3. Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the chocolate chips, 3/4 cup M&Ms, and beat on low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds.
4. Using a large cookie scoop, 1/4-cup measure, or your hands, form 15 equal-sized mounds of dough, roll into balls, and flatten slightly.
5. Add about 1 tablespoon M&Ms to the top of each dough mound.
6. Place mounds on a large plate or tray, cover with plasticwrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to 5 days. Do not bake with unchilled dough because cookies will bake thinner, flatter, and be more prone to spreading.
7. Preheat oven to 350F, line a baking sheet with a Silpat or spray with cooking spray. Place dough mounds on baking sheet, spaced at least 2 inches apart (I bake 8 cookies per sheet) and bake for 11 minutes, or until edges have set and tops are just set, even if slightly undercooked, pale, and glossy in the center. Cookies firm up as they cool. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for about 10 minutes before serving. I let them cool on the baking sheet and don't use a rack.
8. Cookies will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 6 months. Alternatively, unbaked cookie dough can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, so consider baking only as many cookies as desired and save the remaining dough to be baked in the future when desired.

Copycat Costco Poppyseed Muffins

So far this is the best recipe for copycat Costco Poppyseed Muffins that I can find. They don't quite have the huge muffin top but they taste very similar. These are great for freezing as and make a quick breakfast!

Almond Poppyseed Muffins
Yields: 5 Jumbo muffins

Ingredients

• 1-3/4 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
• ½ cup butter (softened)
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ teaspoon almond extract (I like a strong almond flavor, and use 1 teaspoon)
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup milk
• Sliced almonds to garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix flour, baking powder, salt and poppy seeds and set aside. Cream butter, sugar and extract. Add eggs, beating well. Add flour mixture alternately with milk into butter mixture. Pour into greased muffin tins (or ungreased paper muffin cups) and sprinkle with sliced almonds. Bake 24 minutes or till top springs back. Makes 10 large muffins, or 12 smaller muffins.
2. You can also make a glaze with mixture of ¼ cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons heavy cream, and ½ teaspoon of almond extract if desired.

My substitute for Cafe Rio's Pork Salad with copycat Cilantro Ranch Dressing

Okay so I'm really behind on my blog so I thought I would add a few of my favorites that I've made lately. This recipe is a really yummy sweet pulled pork recipe. It can honestly be used for a ton of things like nachos, burritos, salads etc. We had it with a salad to make our copycat version of Cafe Rio's salad that we love so much and it was delicious! Here is the recipe for you! Here is also the original website I found it on: http://www.rockrecipes.com/apple-barbeque-pulled-pork-nachos/ Please note this recipe does take a long time so it's nice to do a big batch and then freeze some of it for later use.

Apple Barbeque Pulled Pork Salad

Begin by dry rubbing a 5 to 6 pound pork shoulder roast with a mixture of

• ½ tsp powdered ginger
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon dry thyme
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp dry oregano
• 1 ½ tbsp kosher salt

Rub all over the surface of the roast, cover and let sit in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight.

(I didn't do this step but you can if you want it more browned) Heat 4 tbsp oil in a large heavy bottomed skillet over medium heat and brown the roast on all sides. 

Transfer the roast to a covered roasting pan. To the roasting pan, along with the roast, add:

• 1 medium sized onion chopped
• 4 medium sized firm apples peeled and cut in chunks

Meanwhile mix together in a medium size bowl:

• ½ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup molasses
• ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
• ¼ cup Dijon mustard (In case you need to, I just used normal mustard and it turned out fine)
• ½ cup apple cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons hot sauce (adjust to taste, I believe I did just one tablespoon)
• 1 ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup apple juice
• 1 tsp powdered ginger
• 1 tsp Chinese five spice powder

Pour all over the roast, apples and onions in the roasting pan. Cover with aluminum foil then the lid of the roasting pan. Roast in a 300 degree oven for several hours ( approximately 4-5) until the meat is very tender and falling off the bone. Every so often I would baste the pork with the juices.

Remove the braising liquid to a saucepan, skim all the excess fat and reduce the liquid until it slightly thickens. At this point you can puree the sauce with an immersion blender or in a food processor to smooth it out and incorporate the cooked onions and apples. Pull the pork apart in finger sized pieces and pour the barbeque sauce over it.

For our salad I Combined the following:

Salad

Tomatoes

Cilantro (optional)

Black Beans

Rice (Optional)

Corn

Cheese

Pulled Pork

Copycat Cilantro Ranch Dressing (See recipe Below)

Copycat Cilantro Ranch Dressing

Ingredients:

• 1 packet TRADITIONAL Hidden Valley Ranch mix (not BUTTERMILK)
• 1 c. mayonnaise
• 1 c. buttermilk
• 2 tomatillos, remove husk, diced
• 1/2 bunch of fresh cilantro
• 1 clove garlic
• juice of 1 lime
• 1 jalapeno ( if you like it mild, just remove the seeds, I also started with half the Jalapeno and wished I would've stopped there but my husband liked it will all of it so it just depends on how hot you want it so slowly add this in)

Instructions

• Mix all ingredients together in the blender. That’s it!